3 Island Beaches to Visit in Wilmington, NC | VisitNC.com

Even if you’ve never been to Wilmington, there’s a good chance you’ll recognize its sights. That’s because this region of North Carolina’s southern coast has hosted 400+ TV and film productions. In the mood for action on the water? Try surfing, paddleboarding, kayaking and more on island beaches.

Look & Feel

Highlights

3 Family-Friendly Island Beaches
“Hollywood East” TV & Movie Sights
Airlie Gardens
Wilmington Historic District
Surfing & Water Sports
Battleship North Carolina

Weather

Winter 58°

Spring 74°

Summer 88°

Fall 76°

Fort Fisher State Recreation Area, where 4x4 beach driving is welcome, in Kure Beach
Seabird in Wilmington, where chef Dean Neff is a 2024 James Beard semifinalist for Outstanding Chef
Wrightsville Beach, one of three island beaches in the Wilmington area
Fort Fisher Aquarium in Kure Beach
The Tiki Bar on the remnants of the Center Pier at Carolina Beach
The 67-acre Airlie Gardens in Wilmington
Blockade Runner Beach Resort in Wrightsville Beach (photo: Wilmington & Beaches CVB)
Try surfing at Carolina, Kure or Wrightsville beaches
Battleship North Carolina on the Cape Fear River in Wilmington

Getting Around

Municipalities

Carolina Beach
Kure Beach
Wilmington
Wrightsville Beach

Getting There

Interstate 40

Interstate 140

Wilmington International Airport (ILM)

Things To Do

Sort by:

Location

Interest

First In Fright (1)

haunted places, events and travel ideas

Arts & Entertainment (48)

furniture, museums, gaming, film sites, etc.

Refine Search

Eat & Drink (60)

restaurants, food tours, breweries, wineries, etc.

Refine Search

History & Heritage (33)

historic sites, cherokee history, ghosts, etc.

Refine Search

Kids & Family (43)

theme & water parks, gems, zoos, aquariums, etc.

Refine Search

Dog Friendly (71)

parks, beaches and fun for 4-legged visitors

Natural Attractions (76)

beaches, waterfalls, state & national parks, etc.

Refine Search

Outdoor Adventures (54)

camping, hiking, fishing, water sports, etc.

Refine Search

Romantic Getaways (17)

romantic attractions, spas, health & wellness, etc.

Refine Search

Sports (12)

golf, motorsports, horseback riding, etc.

Refine Search

Season

Spring (13)Summer (21)Fall (14)Winter (6)Holiday (6)

Content Type

Trip Ideas (68)Videos (0)Directory (197)Events (9)Travel Deals (0)Brochures (0)Visitor Photos (5)

Back

Filter Arts & Entertainment

Arts & Culture (6)

Performing Arts (0)Galleries & Art Centers (4)

Gaming & Entertainment (13)Museums (17)Music (2)Shopping (2)

Antiques (0)Arts & Crafts (1)Furniture (0)Retail (1)

TV & Film (14)

Back

Filter Eat & Drink

Food (41)

American (12)Asian (0)Barbecue (0)Cajun & Creole (1)Coffee & Tea (2)Farm-to-Table (13)Fast Food (3)French (2)German (1)Ice Cream & Sweets (13)Indian (0)Italian (4)Latin American (6)Mediterranean (2)Pizzerias (0)Seafood (16)Southern (5)Steak (0)Vegetarian & Vegan (2)

Drink (18)

Beer (15)Spirits (1)Wine (4)

Farmers Markets (0)Meal (32)

Breakfast & Brunch (7)Lunch (19)Dinner (31)Drinks & Late Night (26)

Tours (8)

Food Tours (1)Beer Tours (4)Distillery Tours (1)Wine Tours (3)

Back

Filter History & Heritage

Ghost Tours (11)Historic Sites & Gardens (10)Lighthouses & Pirates (4)Military History (6)Multicultural History (4)

Back

Filter Kids & Family

Gem & Gold Mining (0)Mini Golf & Fun Centers (2)Museums & Quirky (12)Theme Parks (1)Water Parks (1)Zoos & Animal Parks (5)

Back

Filter Natural Attractions

Beaches (35)Bird & Wildlife (10)Gardens (0)Scenic Drives (2)Parks (4)

State Parks (4)National Parks (1)

Rivers & Lakes (8)Waterfalls (1)

Back

Filter Outdoor Adventures

Aerial Fun (2)

Hang Gliding (1)Helicopters & Hot Air Balloons (0)Rock Climbing & Rappelling (1)Skydiving (0)Zip Lining & Canopy Tours (0)

Camping (5)Cycling (5)Fishing & Hunting (11)Hiking (8)Motorcycling (0)Winter Sports (0)

Ice Skating (0)Snow Sports (0)

Water Sports (31)

Diving (1)Paddle Sports (16)Swimming (13)Tubing & Whitewater (0)Watercraft (18)Wind Sports (7)

Back

Filter Romantic Getaways

Romantic Attractions (14)Spas & Wellness (3)

Back

Filter Sports

Equestrian (0)Golf (8)Motorsports (1)Racket Sports (0)

@pmacmiller

If the path is beautiful, don’t ask where it leads. 🚶🏻‍♂️ - - - - #onlyincb #naturalnorthcarolina #onlyinnorthcarolina #northcarolinaliving #northcarolinaoutdoors #northcarolinalife #northcarolinacoast #northcarolinabeaches #ncoutdoors #visitnc #discover_carolinas #ipulledoverforthis

#VisitNC @VisitNC

Wheelchair-Accessible Getaways in North Carolina

Article

Take a Nicholas Sparks Tour of the North Carolina Coast

Trip Idea

Attractions & Activities in this region

@aaronkoenig

Not quite ready for the early sunsets but at least they’re always beautiful on WB • • • #dji #djimavicair #aerialphotography #drone #dronephotography #drones #dronestagram #droneoftheday #dronefly #onlyinnorthcarolina #fromwhereidrone #dronelife #bybirdeye #dronefolio #dronesdaily #mavicair #dronepilots #droneshot #djiglobal #fromabove #celebratingnc #nc #wb #whatsupwilmington #wrightsvillebeach #beach #ocean #northcarolina #visitnc #wilmingtonnc

#VisitNC @VisitNC

Places to Stay in this region

Winter Fun at Coastal State Parks

List

Wrightsville Beach Brewery

Wilmington

@jmujules09

I'm always a sucker for river cities, and Wilmington is no exception. 😍 #wilmingtonnc #wilmington #visitnc #travel #riverwalk

#VisitNC @VisitNC

Places to Eat & Drink in this region

Events in this region